A Tale of Love, Betrayal, and Self-Discovery [📖🎵]

The Heart of the Story

Anushka thought her life was perfect—until cracks in her marriage and an unexpected bond with Mrs. Sharma made her question everything.

As secrets come to light and choices get harder, will she find the courage to follow her heart or stay trapped in the life she’s always known?

A tale of love, identity, and resilience—where unspoken truths challenge the heart's deepest desires. Dive into the story that will leave you questioning where the heart truly belongs. 

📖 Read it, listen to it—just don't miss it! 🎧

[All these audio narratives feature my AI-cloned voice 🎙️🤖]

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THE BROWN FAMILY’S EVENING TAKES AN UNUSUAL TURN. Three ladies—Grace, Anushka, and Mrs. Sharma – are seated in cherry-brown armchairs surrounding a luxurious dining table from three sides and savoring dinner. Anushka’s eyes sometimes meet Mrs. Sharma’s who is savoring dinner.

Their eyes meet briefly, and Anushka looks away, focusing on her plate.

Despite their hunger, they savor each bite, their conversation sparse.

The conversation is limited to the pleasantries exchanged before dinner. Since Anushka and Mrs. Sharma meet daily at Bulk Venture, the corporate office of the wholesale company. They eat in silence after the initial pleasantries. All one can hear is silver spoons and clay plates tinkling.

Grace is slowly picking up the food as she watches a video on her smartphone, a wireless earbud plugged up in her ears. At the same time, Anushka’s eyes meet Mrs. Sharma’s again. Why don’t the eyes speak? Why do they only meet? The reason remains a mystery, for now. There is no conversation, but only occasional eye contact.

After quickly finishing the food, Anushka waits for the right time to leave the dining table. With food in her mouth, Mrs. Sharma signals Anushka to help herself to more food.

“I am full,” Anushka gestures, looking around. Grace pulls an earbud case from her pocket and inserts the earphones into it. Meanwhile, a notification message rings on her phone. It looks like someone has remembered Grace. Now she has started chatting, while munching on her food slowly.

Drying her hands with a paper towel, Anushka turns her gaze towards the east-facing window in front of the dining table. As it is spring peach blossoms can be seen outside through the gap between the curtains. This rosy scenery looks fascinating.

“Did you like the sapphire-blue colored curtains? So attractive, aren’t they?” Lost in thought, Anushka is waiting for the right time to take leave. She is startled by Mrs. Sharma’s question. Seeing her body shake, Mrs. Sharma immediately apologizes.

“Very beautiful! Actually, the sapphire caught my eyes,” Anushka says, adjusting the white purse next to her.

Picking up the last bite of food, Mrs. Sharma notices that Anushka is in a rush. But she cannot figure out why she suddenly stood up.

“Something isn’t right,” Mrs. Sharma starts thinking from the dining table, talking to herself. Anushka’s face looks duller than usual. Her lean body also looks slightly different today. Mrs. Sharma guesses that there lies a secret buried in her puffy face.

She has not even spoken openly today. Is she having difficulty opening up? She feels something strange and unusual.

“Hurrying to leave? Missing Miles?” Mrs. Sharma puts the spoon back on the plate. She looks at Anushka, her dear colleague from Bulk Venture Company.

Anushka stops for a moment after hearing her words.

Mr. Brown is a contractor. The company has sent him to Oklahoma for a week-long training. Likewise, Miles is in Chicago to attend a convention. Before coming over for dinner, Anushka said to Mrs. Sharma that she would join her only if her husband was not at home. Mrs. Sharma had assured her that he was not at home.

When Mrs. Sharma brings up the name of Miles, Anushka purses her lips. She sneers and says “You must be missing Mr. Brown. Or, Grace might miss her friend. Missing Miles? No way!”

Miles’s name brings anger and disgust to her face. Her round face gets scrunched up; small eyes go wide and pointed nose wrinkles. The protruded chest in her petite body rises higher. The five foot two inches tall 25-year-old women stands erect with vigor.

“No way Arrey! Why so angry, Anu?”

Anushka’s face darkens like the black-topped road in front of the house. Anger, resentment, and agitation mixed with dark emotions are visible on her face. Mrs. Sharma looks puzzled and gets impatient while unraveling the bewilderment.

“Sorry, Mrs. Sharma. I lied you before. It has been a month since we separated.”

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In a sudden outpouring of emotions suppressed so far, she seems to be oblivious to everything around—the windows, the beautiful curtains, the bright sapphire embroidery on them.

In their meeting at Hotel Mulberry, she told Anushka to just call her Mrs. Sharma and she did the same. They are from the same country back in Nepal. Anushka feels emotionally close to her like her own relative when she calls her Mrs. Sharma.

“Anuskha, why? Any incident?” Mrs. Sharma looks surprised.

“Mrs. Sharma, Miles’s and my paths are different now. That’s why…,” she says putting the purse on the table. She leaves the chair and stands up. After all, one must stand alone, supporting themselves.

“What?” Grace stands up shifting her attention from the phone. As if from another world, she is shocked to hear something unexpected.

The look of Mrs. Sharma’s face changes, and so do her gestures. Her eyes go wide and her mouth remains open.

“Why? What’s wrong, Anushka?” Mrs. Sharma wants to reach the depth of the matter. She regards Anushka as her own daughter and wants to understand the pain she is living through.

“Any special reason?” asks Mrs. Sharma. As a married woman, she can figure out what she is indicating, but cannot understand the real problem. So, she tries to find out the truth.

 “There are many reasons, Mrs. Sharma. At this moment, I can only say Miles walks the path of body, but I have chosen the path of heart. Aren’t these two paths so different? What do you say?”

Grace is confused by what Anushka just said. All she understood was they separated- nothing more than this. She does not understand Nepali much. What’s more, such a complicated issue often goes over her head.

Grace keeps staring at Anushka, who is five years older than her. She steps closer and hugs her.

As Anushka narrates her story, Mrs. Sharma remembers the ups and downs of her own life. Her past flashes before her eyes and she feels as if she herself is a character in this story. Instantly identifying with her, she listens to Anushka’s story. Her heart grows heavy. Tears well up in her eyes and roll down her cheeks.

Just then, a notification rings on Grace’s phone for the second time. She immediately takes out the phone and reads the message. Grace goes to the bathroom while her eyes are glued to the chat with Mia.

Anushka’s eyes wander somewhere. Her voice is choked with emotion for a couple of minutes.

Mrs. Sharma asks softly, “We work together at Bulk Ventures. We meet often in the office but I was clueless about this serious matter.”

“I do not feel like sharing my problem during office hours. I did not want to ruin this dinner gathering too. That’s why!”

Mrs. Sharma replaces Miles with Mr. Brown in her story. Her relationship with Mr. Brown dances before her eyes. While remembering his face, she sees herself as a victim.

Mrs. Sharma is speechless. They hug each other. A brief silence follows witnessed by empty plates, glasses, spoons, tables, and chairs.

The bathroom door next to the kitchen opens with a bang. Grace appears in the middle. She misses her senior year college friend Mia at dinner.

Anushka looks at Grace, who is completely engrossed in the phone screen. Mrs. Sharma is lost in thought.

Anushka says, “Bye Grace! Bye, Mrs. Sharma!” and leaves hurriedly.

She walks past Mrs. Sharma, still lost in thought. After all, she has to walk down her path on her own.

“Hello, Anu. How’re you?”

“Tired!” Anushka replies in a heavy tone.

She gazes around the living room, takes a deep breath, and exhales slowly, trying to shake off her stress.

It was a September evening. Anushka just got back from Hotel Mulberry.

About ten miles away from the main city lies a subdivision called Deer Crossing. A stone pillar stands at the main entrance’s right side. The five-foot-tall pillar features a metal plate with an engraved image of a running deer and the text “Deer Crossing” below it. It seems as if the antlerless deer shown on the sign board is saying – “We are not extinct yet; take care of us too.” This subdivision is a small area encircled by three different streets, and it contains about thirty single-family houses. One of these houses is the residence of Miles and Anushka.

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Feeling Anushka’s fatigue, Miles hugs her tight, his lips brushing against her cheek as he tries to comfort her.

“Now, you should feel better.” he speaks, breaking into an unexpected smile.

Seeing Miles’s funny behavior, Anushka tries to smile but weariness shows clearly on her face.

It is their second week as a newlywed couple.

Anushka sits on a sofa and takes off her shoes. Miles sits next to her. She leans back and looks at the TV screen, keeping a sofa pillow in her lap.

“Take some rest. You’ll be fine, dear.”

Hearing Miles’s words, she forgets her fatigue for a moment and starts reminiscing about something.

Since the first day of their marriage, he has been saying the same thing while pecking her on the cheek. This gesture of Miles holds no significance to her, but she likes his saying “Take rest, everything will be all right”.

Anushka remembers her wedding day.

She remembers repeating after the pastor at church, “We are happy with each other”. Then they exchanged wedding rings after saying “We are committed to each other”. The hall echoed with clapping.

The wedding reception was scheduled for 4:00 p.m. at the conference hall of Hotel Mulberry. The hall was long and extensive with a stage in the front. There were DJ lights hanging in the ceiling facing towards the stage with a speaker on either side. The hall was decorated with purple and light-green curtains. On the wall were stuck helium balloons with ‘M & A’ printed on them.

The bride and the groom entered the hall holding each other’s hands. There were around sixty attendees, who welcomed them with huge claps and cheers. The photographers began snapping pictures.

On the left side of the entrance, different varieties of food items were lined up on a rectangular table, whereas on the right was a round table with desserts- cake, fruit, and beverages on it. After a few photo sessions, the bride and groom sat on the chairs on the stage.

A man holding the mic began praising the bride and the groom. Then, a friend of the groom climbed on the stage, a small note in his hand. Reading from the chit, he addressed the attendees. Then, he entertained them with his funny words and teasing comments.

After a while, all lined up and helped themselves to a variety of Asian American foods placed on the rectangular table. There was also a round table decorated with a purple tablecloth. Even the paper napkins, spoons, and forks were purple to match. Every display item was decorated beautifully.

Then, the reception began with the dance of the bride and the groom.

Everyone “Not busy like yours. If was tired I’d have stopped at the bar. Didn’t happen tonight.”

“Don’t drink too much. Don’t let alcohol control you.”

The bar is on the way to Hotel Mulberry, where Anushka works. It’s an Irish bar where Miles often goes for a couple of drinks. Only he knows what his eyes and heart drink at the bar.

“I miss you, Anu!” Miles’s lips touch her neck. She distinctly feels his warm breath in those two kisses. This White-Irish man’s face has turned red. His deep brown eyes are shining.

“I’m already hot!” He cannot help expressing his feelings this time and says directly “I cannot control THAT energy in me, Anu.”

“It’s the wrong time,” says Anushka causally.

But Miles looks adamant about it tonight.

“The fragrance of your gorgeous body makes my heart race. Why don’t you understand?”

Meanwhile, the phone rings in the kitchen.

“Your phone,” Anusha tries to divert his attention.

Miles finds that it is his mom’s call. Twenty-eight-year-old Miles was born to Irish-American parents. His dad was a retired Army veteran. He passed away five years ago. His mom recently married an African-American man and is living in Ohio.

Talking on the phone, Miles comes back to Anushka. He keeps cajoling her, wondering if a miracle will happen. Anushka gets up and goes to the bathroom. He watches from behind the swing in her hips, his face and earlobes reddened with excitement.

 After some time, they have dinner together.

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Miles gets busy playing his newly bought video game. Anushka steps out onto the deck and looks around. She ponders- how things change in no time. Our interest changes, and so does desire. Patience is such a powerful thing!

Anushka is lost in her own thoughts while swinging on the porch swing.

She met Mrs. Sharma four years ago while working at Hotel Mulberry. As the distance between their homes was less than two miles, they would meet often. Her previous house had a bigger deck. It would be so much fun to sit on the swing and watch the children play outside! But now she is in a different world.

Anushka revisits her past briefly and returns to her present. She enjoys traveling back like this in her imagination.

Swinging back and forth, on the porch swing, Anushka surveys her surroundings. As it is fall, the maple and oak trees in the neighborhood are turning light yellow and red. They look as if they are preparing themselves for the chilly winter.

Anushka returns to the present. The memories of the day they exchanged wedding rings and given the reception begin to fade away.

She is still seated on the sofa; Miles is still next to her. He is not watching TV. Instead, all his attention is on Anushka thinking about her weariness. Out of the blue, he starts massaging her shoulder. The pressure from his strong hands makes her feel relieved.

“Right there! I am feeling it”, She says.

“Your face’s saying it all. I understand that you are tired today.”

“How was your day?” Anushka asks, thinking Miles must be tired too.

Miles smiles at her.

After two hours of video games, Miles heads upstairs to the bedroom. In the center of the room is a queen-size metal framed platinum-colored bed. With Walthall Upholstered Headboard wrapped in luxurious faux leather and features a wingback design with three-row nail-head trim accents and jeweled button tufting. The neutral hue of the faux leather upholstery provides the perfect backdrop for bedding. The bed is attractive and looks like a decorated stage. It is flanked by nightstands, each having touchable lights on both sides. To match the bed, a silver-colored dresser mirror is placed on the opposite wall.

“I love you, Anu!”

“Love you, too,” Anushka replies without looking at him. She is reading something on Kindle in bed.

“You know the past four days, were a tough time,” he says.

Anushka hears but does not listen. She does not respond, as if she does not want to get distracted by his words.

Miles walks to the closet to change into his pajamas. The closet is on the right side of the room. A little farther beyond the closet, there is a private bathroom on the right. This is what the master bed in every American house looks like. The brown-curtained room looks onto the street on the left of the house. He pulls the curtains aside and looks out. Since Deer Crossing is a small subdivision, vehicles do not drive by there as much as on the main road. The street is empty.

Front Cover of the Novel, Her Innocence Discovered

Miles lies down on the bed, takes his phone out and pretends to look at it. But he grows restless and troubled, which is why he cannot focus on his phone. Leaning on the headboard of the bed, Anushka looks absorbed in reading on the Kindle; just like Miles was lost in a video game moments ago. It has become a daily routine for both of them to indulge in their own interests in their leisure time.

Miles is in a different mood today. How could a mobile phone hold his attention? He puts it on the nightstand next to him.

He then kisses Anushka’s neck deeply.

Anushka glances at him and thinks that he is not going to spare her today even if she is not in the mood.

Miles begs for her attention and cooperation. “We are newly-wed, Anu. Come on! Let’s enjoy.”

Before Miles entered the room, Anushka had already completed reading about 10 pages. She was flipping another page when Miles arrived. Feeling succumbed, she lays Kindle aside and looks at Miles’s reddened face. His earlobes have turned red again. She feels pity for him. Looking at the changed color of his earlobes, she is ready to sacrifice herself this time. She then pulls the pillow down from the headboard and lies down. Miles smiles and cuddles her. Anushka wants to say something but can’t. She feels overcome by hesitation. All she does is stare at the nightstand, vacantly.

“Look at me, Anushka!”

She turns her gaze towards Miles’s face. But it does not interest her.

She closes her eyes.

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J.N. Dahal, originally from Bhutan, migrated from Nepal to the United States. He is an award-winning author and editor at Bhutaneseliterature.com. His anthology Lekhak ki Chhori (Writer’s Daughter) won the INLS Best Diaspora Book Award in 2022, and his debut novel Prahelika (Her Innocence Discovered) received the HimTika Fictional Award in 2023. Dahal's works, exploring themes of identity, relationships, and resilience, resonate with readers worldwide.

Dr. Bal Ram Adhikari is a Lecturer in English Education at Tribhuvan University, Nepal, and a prominent figure in translation and literary studies. An award-winning educator, translator, and author, his acclaimed works in English and Nepali have been featured in leading journals worldwide. As President of the Translators' Association of Nepal, Dr. Adhikari is committed to advancing translation and promoting literary innovation.

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